Heintschel Celebrates After One of Pitt’s Touchdowns
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published October 4, 2025, 4:43 PM
Pittsburgh, PA – Heintschel delivered a debut that Pitt fans won’t soon forget. The freshman quarterback looked composed, confident, and completely in control as the Panthers rolled to a 48–7 win over Boston College.
With under two minutes left in the second quarter, Heintschel had already led Pitt to a 24–0 lead. His accuracy and calm presence set the tone heading into halftime. Rather than running out the clock, Pitt stayed aggressive, a sign of how much trust Narduzzi had in his young quarterback.
The final drive of the half ended with another touchdown, set up by freshman running back Ja’Kyrian Turner, who took a short pass down to the six before punching it in to make it 31–0.
“Mason (Heintschel), again, week by week, saw improvement, limited reps, but he saw him get the ball in his hand and know where to go with it,” said Pat Narduzzi after the win. “He prepared his tail off. I think he was in the office at eight o’clock on Monday, and I think he was there until 630 I don’t know if he went to any classes, but he knew what he was doing out there, and he was prepared. And appreciate that.”
It might sound repetitive, but Heintschel kept picking apart the Eagles’ defense. His third touchdown was a highlight breaking the pocket, rolling right, tight-roping the sideline, and firing a strike into the corner of the south end zone to Spann.
By the time Eli Holstein re-entered the game with 7:14 left, the score was 48–0. The change wasn’t about performance it was because the freshman had done more than enough.
“Last time we went with the starting freshman quarterback was last game of season,” said Narduzzi. “We beat number two Miami was Kenny Pickett. I think he’s got that kind of ability.”
Heintschel finished 30-of-41 with 323 yards and four touchdowns, adding 28 yards on the ground. For perspective, Kenny Pickett didn’t record his first 300-yard passing game until his 12th career game. Heintschel hit that mark in his first.
Expectations will rise fast. Pitt, a program with nine claimed national titles and a 2021 ACC crown, knows the weight that comes with a promising start at quarterback. One game doesn’t define a career, but for Heintschel, it certainly announced his arrival.
“That was a big thing for me, is just stepping out on the field and just trying to calm myself down,” Heintschel said during the postgame press conference. “You know, it’s a lot of nerves, and it’s, it’s exciting, is, like you said, what I’ve been working for my whole life, and I know my teammates have my back the whole way, and just, just preparing to go out and win a game, is, is, I mean, I have all the faith in my in my preparation throughout the past couple days, and you know, just my teammates, just trusting them to be able to help them go and go, make a play, make a play. It’s just, it’s it was important for sure.”
Heintschel made his impression on the team earlier in the spring as several teammates mentioned they noticed this freshman being pretty special from the get-go. Teammate Kenny Johnson who led the team with nine catches for 115 yards and a touchdown catch felt the freshman was up to the standard.
He carries himself in terms of confident, not arrogant, real confident,” Johnson said of the presence of the freshman in the huddle. “He’s real focused on the deep kept us away from negative plays, and we played real solid, consistent football game.”
Boston College never pushed back. Pitt dictated every series, every drive, and every moment and behind a freshman who looked anything but, the Panthers made their loudest statement of the young season.
There is a new star on campus in Pittsburgh. Let’s hope it burns long and bright.
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
